It may be repeated, however: (i) that the rule of detailing a complete unit, with an adequate staff, for the delivery of the decisive counter-attack, should always be observed; (ii) that the position of the officer commanding should be carefully selected.
2. On an extended field of battle, and particularly in broken country, it is not always easy to find a place where the firing-line can be supervised, and the opportunities for counter-attack observed before it is too late to take advantage of them; and in some cases, the officer commanding will have to rely entirely on the reports of his staff officers and the subordinate commanders. It is essential, then, that the system of collection and transmission of information should be complete and thoroughly understood; in peace exercises as much attention should be paid to this most important point as to training officers and men to make clear, concise and useful reports.
SUPPLY AND TRANSPORT OF S.A. (·303-INCH) AMMUNITION IN THE FIELD.
175. Supply and transport of ammunition in the field.
1. Service ammunition and regimental reserve.—A battalion takes with it into the field, in regimental charge,
| Service ammunition. | 100 rounds per rifle, carried by the soldier; |
| 4,000 rounds packed on the carriage of the machine gun[8]; | |
| Regimental reserve. | 2 boxes on each of eight pack animals (i.e.,one pack animal per company); and 16 boxes in each of five S.A.A. carts, also6,600 rounds per machine gun in one S.A.A. cart. (1,000 rounds for Short L.E.rifle and for machine gun, and 1,100 rounds for L.M. or L.E. rifle are carriedin each box). |
On the march one pack animal will be in rear of each company; four S.A.A. carts (including that carrying the machine gun ammunition), will be in rear of the battalion; the remaining two carts will form a brigade reserve.
Officers commanding battalions will arrange for the replenishment of this ammunition at every favourable opportunity. They are responsible that the ammunition carried by the men is complete, and that when ammunition is expended, it is replaced with the least possible delay.
2. Brigade Reserve.—A brigade reserve of small arms ammunition will be formed by two S.A.A. carts being detached from each battalion, these will follow in rear of the brigade. Each brigadier will detail a mounted officer to take charge of the brigade reserve.
3. Divisional Reserve.—A divisional reserve of 100 rounds per rifle and 8,800 rounds per machine gun is carried in the small arms ammunition section of the ammunition columns of brigades of divisional artillery, each of which will supply one of the infantry brigades of the division to which they belong. The same number of rounds for corps troops is carried in the special section attached to the ammunition column of the horse artillery brigade. The divisional reserves are in artillery charge.